Five Great Science Fiction & Fantasy Books for Middle and High School

Summary: Guy Montag lives in a future where firemen start fires instead of putting them out. Montag is one of these firemen, whose job is to burn books. However, Montag begins to wonder what everyone is willing to be burned for and he does the unthinkable and reads. He realizes what is being withheld from the people and questions everything he knew and lived for. He ultimately must give up life as he knows it to fight for his newfound beliefs.

Title: Fahrenheit 451

Author: Ray Bradbury

Publication Date: 1950

Category: Science Fiction

Activities:

- At the end of the book, Montag must "become" a book to keep the story alive. Discuss what book you would be, and why.

- Censorship is a major theme in the book. Imagine something you love was suddenly made illegal. Write a story about what that world would be like.

- Is there something you would be willing to risk your life for? Discuss what that would be, and why

- (Modification) Watch the move Fahrenheit 451 and compare the book to the movie

Title: A Spell for Chameleon

Author: Piers Anthony

Publication Date: 1977

Category: Strange and Curious Worlds

Summary: In the land of Xanth, magic is the norm and every citizen has a special spell only they can cast. Bink has no magic. In Xanth, those with out magic are exiled to Mundania. Bink enables the help of Good Magician Humphrey and Beauregard the Genie. They both say he has magic, but just can't figure out what it is! The thing is, Bink does have magic and it is so powerful, it will change the face of Xanth forever!

Activities:

- What would be your special magic spell? What would it do? Why would you want it?

- Write about a time that you met someone you were sure was a bad person, and it turned out they were very good.

- Think of some common everyday items, and write about what that item would be in Xanth

- (Modification) Draw a picture of Castle Roogna.

Title: The Jungle Book

Author: Rudyard Kipling

Publication Date: 1894

Category: Articulate Animals

Summary: Mowgli, a young boy, is brought up by wolves in the jungle after a tiger, Shere Khan, kills his parents. Mowgli is taught the laws of the jungle from a number of different animals including Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther. Trouble arises when Mowgli's adopted family refuses to turn him over to Shere Khan.

Activities:

- Write about what animals you would like to live with if you had to live in the jungle.

- Mowgli and the seals have songs they sing. Write a song about something important you have done.

- If you could be any animal in the jungle, what animal would you be? Why?

- (Modification) Draw a picture of your favorite animal from The Jungle Book.

Title: Lady Cottington's Pressed Faerie Book

Author: Terry Jones

Publication Date: 1994

Category: Little People

Summary: Little Angelica Cottington discovers that there are faeries living in and around her home. She quickly discovers she can catch them by smashing them in her journal. The book is actually a copy of that very journal, replete with squished faeries and journal entries to go with them. Along with here faerie related entries are interesting tidbits about her family, including an over-amorous cousin.

Activities:

- Do you believe in faeries? Discuss whether or not you do, and explain why.

- Eventually, the faeries stop visiting Lady Cottington. Write a story about where they went and why they left.

- If you could make a collection of anything, what would it be?

- (Modification) Draw a picture of some of the faeries that got away!

Title: Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Author: Dr. Seuss

Publication Date: 1990

Category: Preposterous Characters and Situations

Summary: You are starting on a new journey. This journey will take you to many strange places, like The Waiting Place. You'll also meet many strange people and creatures like the Hakken-Kraks. The story shows traveling through fantastic locations and doing fantastic things. Cleverly hidden (rather obviously) in this fantastic tale is the lesson that nothing is impossible if you stick with it and believe in yourself.

Activities:

- If you could do any one thing you set your mind to, what would that thing be? Why?

- Describe a time you were in a Lurch. Why were you there? What did you do to get out?

- Write a Seussy poem about something you've always dreamed of doing

- (Modification) Draw a picture of a place you've always dreamed of visiting.